Heather Knight marked her 300th international appearance with a third ODI century before England’s bowlers fought back late in the India chase as a thrilling four-run victory clinched Nat Sciver-Brunt’s side a place in the Women’s World Cup semi-finals.

Knight’s sweep-laden 109 from 91 balls, in which she shared a third-wicket stand of 113 from 106 deliveries with her successor as captain Sciver-Brunt (38), underpinned England’s 288-8 but a late collapse of 5-31 prevented a score of over 300 in Indore.

India looked on course for victory after reaching 234-3 in the 42nd over and cutting the ask to 55 from 53 balls – that healthy position based on a 125-run partnership between opener Smriti Mandhana (88) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (70) and then Smriti and Deepti Sharma (50) adding 67 for the fourth wicket.

However, Smriti and Deepti then holed out off Linsey Smith (1-40) and Sophie Ecclestone (1-58) respectively while Sciver-Brunt (2-47) accounted for the dangerous Richa Ghosh (8) as India faded.

The hosts ended up on 284-6 – scoring only nine of the 14 runs required from Smith’s final over – as unbeaten England joined Australia and South Africa in booking their spot in the knockouts and India suffered a third straight defeat,

Every other side in the event is still in the running for the last semi-final place but it looks most likely to be between India and New Zealand, who meet in Navi Mumbai on Thursday.

England’s remaining group games are against Australia in Indore on Wednesday (10.30am UK) and then New Zealand in Vizag next Sunday (5.30am UK).

Whatever happens in those, Sciver-Brunt’s team can look forward to the semi-finals as they target a fifth World Cup title in their history and a second overseas, after victory in Australia in 2009.

Beaumont, Jones get England off to solid start

England came unstuck against in-swinging deliveries during a limp batting display versus Pakistan in Colombo on Wednesday – a game they looked set to lose before rain intervened.

With that in mind, it was no surprise India drafted seamer Renuka Singh Thakur into their XI – at the expense of batter Jemimah Rodrigues – and she beat Tammy Beaumont’s inside edge from the first delivery of the match.

Beaumont (22) and Amy Jones (56) saw off the seamers and combined for a first-wicket stand 73 before wily off-spinner Deepti Sharma – who ended up with her best World Cup figures – removed both England openers.

Beaumont was bowled around her legs on the sweep before Jones chipped tamely to mid-on after a 62-ball, 15th ODI half-century.

Knight and Sciver-Brunt rebuilt from 98-2 and had started to really accelerate before Sciver-Brunt was well caught by opposition captain Harmanpreet in the covers.

Knight stars for England before frustrating end to innings

Knight pressed on, securing her first ODI century since making 101at home to New Zealand in 2021 with a streaky four down to deep third, before lasering the next ball she faced to the point boundary.

However, the 34-year-old’s run out triggered a wobble, with the out-of-nick members of England’s lower middle order – Sophia Dunkley (15), Emma Lamb (11), Alice Capsey (2) – contributing just 28 runs between them and perhaps increasing the prospect of Danni Wyatt-Hodge getting a game against Australia next week.

Charlie Dean (19no) hammered a four over mid-on in an 11-run final over but England would have known they should have compiled a bigger total considering they were on 211 in the 38th over when Sciver-Brunt fell.

Seamer Lauren Bell – back in the England side after missing the Pakistan shemozzle through illness – nicked off Pratika Rawal (6) early in the chase, providing relief for Dean who had grassed the India opener on one in the covers, while Dean then pinned Harleen Deol (24 off 31) lbw before the end of the powerplay.

India rallied from that point but then so did England at the death as they preserved their unbeaten record in this tournament.

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